The Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration says it will begin engaging civic organisations, Chapter Nine institutions and other stakeholders from Monday to outline government’s plans to address illegal immigration.

Addressing the media in Pretoria on Sunday, government ministers reiterated that only the state has the authority to enforce immigration laws and warned citizens against conducting identity checks themselves.

The chairperson of the IMC and Minister of Justice, Mmamoloko Kubayi, said some South Africans had begun taking immigration enforcement into their own hands, which she described as unlawful.

“As government, we have the sole responsibility of enforcing the law. We have observed, with concern, that some citizens are insisting on conducting identity checks and other immigration enforcement actions. This is illegal and should not be encouraged in our country. Only the state has the responsibility to enforce immigration laws, and no one else.”

Citizen’s responsibility

Kubayi said citizens should instead report suspected criminal activity to law enforcement agencies.

Boshielo said the migration crackdown cuts across all races and nationalities, dismissing accusations that police were singling out African migrants.

“Are we concentrating on Africans only? It is not true, and he knows it. Remember, we had 75 Libyans where we got them at White River farm in Mpumalanga, and then also we have 70 Ethiopians in Johannesburg where we repatriated them, and also the firms that we went to in Newcastle – that is a Taiwanese firm and other Mexicans that we have arrested.”

Kubayi also said South Africa was working with the governments of Nigeria, Ghana and Malawi to facilitate the safe and voluntary repatriation of their citizens.

“So far, 980 Malawians have been deported from Lindela on 10 June as part of the crackdown. Going forward, the re-establishment of a court at Lindela will ensure that deportations from Lindela Centre will be expedited. Engagement between Home Affairs and Department of Justice and the Gauteng Judge President has commenced in this regard.”

Green Identity Book

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber, meanwhile, announced plans to phase out South Africa’s green identity book, describing it as one of the most defrauded forms of identification in the country.

South Africa's green barcoded identity book is the traditional paper-based national identification document that has been issued to citizens for decades. The booklet contains a holder's personal details, photograph and identity number and remains valid for many South Africans.

“So, it really is an imperative because we understand that syndicates, as well as illegal immigrants in many cases, can claim to be South African citizens if they get hold of your green ID book and manipulate it. So, that is why this is such a critical intervention. There are about 16 million of them still in use and our job is to replace those with a more secure smart ID in the first instance.”